A WEST Wight artist is helping to keep the beaches clean by turning driftwood into unique paintings.

Josh Hibberd, 28, of Freshwater Bay, has only recently started creating his driftwood art and currently has some of his paintings on display locally at The Piano Cafe.

Josh, a gardener and garden designer, said: "I have always enjoyed painting and drawing but never really done much with it, other than the odd sketch and doodle every now and again.

"But now I’ve found a real passion for my driftwood art as it incorporates walking our beautiful beaches and then creating something completely unique in my own style on the wood.

"Plus, of course, it's helping keep our local beaches clean of some of the debris and rubbish that washes up. While I forage for driftwood I always aim to bring back as much plastic as I can.

"After collecting some larger pieces of driftwood, I realised painting on it could create something really interesting. I started by painting seascapes and fell in love with the texture and uniqueness of each piece of driftwood.

"My favourite piece of work to date is The RNLI – Fighting The Storm. The piece was really to show the dedication and determination of our local lifeboats when times are so tough at sea, and I have also done one of the Needles Lighthouse.

"I feel that my work offers something different to painting, as every piece of driftwood is unique and has its own story."

Josh's work can be viewed at www.joshhibberdart.co.uk